Italy vs. France: Doué Loses a Tooth After an Elbow from an Azzurro Player; Outrage Across the Alps

The Italy-France match has sparked controversy across the Alps: the French press is criticizing an incident that occurred in the second half, in the 69th minute of the Nations League match won by the Azzurri 3-1 at San Siro.

PSG forward Desiré Doué collapsed to the ground after being struck in the mouth by an elbow from Davide Frattesi. According to L’Equipe, the player lost a front tooth as a result of the blow but continued playing despite the pain until he was substituted in the 77th minute (replaced by Mayulu). Many French media outlets and fans criticized the VAR for failing to intervene, and a heated debate erupted on social media between Italian and French fans.

On the field, France had taken the lead in the 10th minute through Olise, capitalizing on a build-up error by Donnarumma. Italy, however, fought back: in the 26th minute, Pio Esposito scored the equalizer, and in the 62nd minute, Frattesi put Italy ahead with a first-time shot off a cross from Dimarco. In the 57th minute, Sebastiano Esposito had missed a penalty kick awarded after Gusto fouled Cambiaghi. In the 74th minute, Pio Esposito sealed the victory with another penalty kick—awarded for a foul by Upamecano on Vergara—and reached nine goals in 14 appearances for the Azzurri.

Frattesi is in top form for both Lazio and the national team, and after the match he commented on the Azzurri’s victory: “This time, more than the win itself, I’m happy with the team’s character. On the national team, we’ve managed to come together and move forward, thanks in part to the new players. There’s a willingness to endure it all together.”